Gijs de Vries

Gijs M. de Vries (born 22 February 1956 in New York City) is a DutchDemocrats 66 (D66) politician. He was deputy Interior Minister between 1998 and 2002, and was the European Union'santi-terrorism co-ordinator from 25 March 2004 to March 2007. As of September 2008, he was the chairman of the European Security Research and Innovation Forum (ESRIF).[1]

He stood down from the post in March 2007, citing personal reasons, but it is commonly understood that the position's mandate didn't have the necessary operational powers, as well as an overall reluctance within member states to supply information regarding anti-terror activities, even though the member states fully supported the establishment of the anti-terrorism coordinator after the 2004 Madrid train bombings.[3] In September 2007, MEPs called for the post to be filled, having been vacant for six months, and for it to be given real powers to carry out the post's tasks.[4] On 20 September 2007, the BelgianGilles de Kerchove was appointed to succeed De Vries in the post.[5]